‘Fantastic’ new Middle Eastern, Mediterranean restaurant is open in Boise

If you crave shawarma shaved off a steaming rotisserie, this city suddenly has heated up.

Tarbush Kitchen, 5749 W. Overland Road, is one of two new Boise restaurants that opened last month serving Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food.

Chef and owner Salam Bunyan, a refugee from Iraq, has cooked in restaurant, hotel and military kitchens. He used to own The Goodness Land, which remains open in the Borah Heights shopping center on Overland Road.

Tarbush Kitchen appeared around the same time as Food Land Market, 710 N. Orchard St. That ethnic grocery store offers Turkish coffee up front and a restaurant counter in the back. I visited a few weeks ago for lunch and enjoyed the friendly environment.

Although the eateries create similar dishes, Tarbush delivers a traditional, sit-down restaurant experience. Food Land Market serves breakfast, but Tarbush’s lunch and dinner menu is more extensive, with a polished plate presentation.

It’s resulting in positive online feedback for Tarbush. “We ordered a hummus to share (comes with pita bread and house-made pickles), falafel entree, Arabic coffee, Arabic tea and baklava,” a Yelp reviewer wrote recently. “I could go into detail about everything, but I will just say, it was all fantastic. Great flavor, and not heavy food.”

The prices are palatable, too. An Iraqi Chicken or Lamb Sandwich costs $7.99; a Falafel Sandwich goes for a buck less. Most entrees range from $8-$14, such as Bryani Lamb ($10.99) or Lamb Tikka ($12.99). Want to try an increasingly popular Middle Eastern street food? Order Arais ($9.99) — crispy, meat-filled pita sandwiches.

Tarbush Kitchen, which offers to-go orders and catering, is open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily except Sundays, when it closes at 8 p.m. Phone: (208) 917-0772. Online: tarbushkitchenidaho.com.

This story was originally published December 18, 2019 at 12:02 PM.